Kindness of a Stranger
by Serene Ice Dragon
Summary: Sometimes, it was the small acts of kindness from strangers that made the biggest impact on a life. A short one-shot about how Garry got his coat.


The dark gray clouds loomed ominously overhead, threatening to spill any moment. The change in weather had been so sudden, the young boy hadn't even realized the promise of rain until the sun had been completely blotted out and a chill wind blew through his hair. Everyone around him was scurrying for shelter, and those that had to go out anyway were prepared with umbrellas, raincoats and rainboots. Unfortunately for the boy, he had not expected it to rain so soon, and was ill-equipped for the oncoming storm. Even without the rain, he was already getting cold.

The boy was a little more than halfway home when a single raindrop landed on his bare arm. That one drop turned into several more, and, within seconds, became a steady downpour. Everything quickly became drenched, including the boy. The sidewalk had become slippery, causing the boy's feet to slide out from under him as he ran. He grunted as he landed on his knees and elbows, scraping himself in the process. Feeling defeated, he decided to wait out the storm before continuing on, and crawled to the side of a building, were a small overhang stuck out just enough to shield him from the rain.

Bringing his knees to his chest, the boy sat there, watching the few people that were still out on the street get to their destinations as fast as possible. He shivered as he curled into a ball. Nobody who walked by seemed to notice him. If anybody did, they chose to ignore him. Most people were like that, it seemed- too preoccupied with their own business to worry about anybody else's, be it because they were in a rush or simply did not care. It didn't help that the boy was not the type to ask a stranger for help. He was often too afraid to approach an adult. For a moment, he considered walking into one of the nearby shops to wait out the storm in there. He was sure the shopkeeper would not take kindly to a child loitering in the store, however, especially one who was soaked and would leave a puddle of water just by standing in one spot for a few seconds.

An unknown voice suddenly broke the boy out of his thoughts.

"What's a young boy like you doing out in this terrible weather?"

Startled, the boy looked up. Standing in front of him was a strange man, likely somewhere in his forties, looking down at him. He was outfitted with a nice, black suit. It was kept dry by the navy blue coat he wore over it and the umbrella he had in his hand. The boy's voice caught in his throat as he stared back, a terrified expression on his face.

"Hey now, it's alright, I ain't gonna hurt ya. I'm just worried to see you out here all by yourself, and in weather like this! You look like you're freezing! Say, what's your name?"

"U-um...G-Garry." The boy stuttered, still unsure, but feeling slightly more at ease than he normally did around strangers.

"Nice to meet you, Garry. You can call me Chris. So, what are you doing out here in this rain?"

"I was just on my way home. I didn't expect it to rain so soon though."

"Hah, neither did I. Still, we were due for rain later today, so it would have been a good thing to take an umbrella with you. Can't change that now though, eh? Here." The man slugged off his coat, then handed it to Garry. "It may not do much, but it will be better than wandering around in that t-shirt of yours."

Garry stared at the coat that had been dropped into his arms for several seconds before looking back up at Chris. "You're...giving this to me?"

"Of course. Why else would I hand it to you?"

"But...it's yours! I can't take something that is yours!"

Chris smiled. "Not anymore. Now it's yours."

Garry didn't know what to say. Here was this man he had never met before, giving him a coat of a nice quality, and for nothing! "I...wow...thank you!"

"Don't mention it. So, you said you were on your way home...do you live near here? I can help you get back, if you need."

"Oh, I'll be okay on my own. It's not far, I just wanted to wait for the rain to stop."

"I see. Well, be careful. I have to be on my way, but you take care of yourself, Garry."

The boy nodded. "I will. Thank you!" He slugged on the oversized coat and stuffed his hands in the pockets. Feeling a couple of round objects, he pulled them out. There were a few various hard candies of different flavors, and...paper? No, it wasn't paper...it was money!

"Ah! Um, sir?! You forgot your money and candy!"

Chris, who was already on his way down the street, simply waved a hand over his shoulder. "Whatever is in the pockets is yours too!"

Stunned once again by the stranger's kindness, Garry could only watch as the man walked away.

Slowly, the rain gradually lessened to a slight drizzle. With the weather now much more tame, Garry stepped out from his shelter. The coat trailed behind him as he walked, and the sleeves went well past his hands. Still, he liked this coat. It was nice, warm, and a special gift from a new friend. Garry couldn't help but smile as he looked ahead and spotted a rainbow in the sky.

The kindness of a stranger would never be forgotten.


End file.
